What is the problem?
The euro crisis forced a series of hurried reforms and created ad-hoc institutions. There is a blurred division of competences between Member States which results in budget rules that are too complicated even for hardened experts. This muddies the decision-making process and confuses where the accountability for decisions lies.
The euro crisis is far from over. A lack of transparency leads to questions about democratic legitimacy. The institutions which make decisions that affect our pockets must be made accountable through greater transparency.
What are we doing?
Transparency International EU will publish of a series of studies looking at the transparency of the institutions which govern the Euro. The studies will look at the institutions’ independence, how proactively they publish information as well as access to document policies, integrity mechanisms (such as whistleblower protections, codes of conduct for staff, revolving door policies), and include in-depth case studies of recent decision-making procedures. We will organise report launch events and roundtable discussions with fellow civil society organisations and other actors to narrow down the conclusions of the studies into concrete recommendations.
The project also aims to bring together an informal network of civil society, academia and think tanks working on the reform of the EU’s economic governance. If you are interested in these topics, please do not hesitate to get in touch with our project coordinator.